trial by the media

trial by the media

A situation in which a person's guilt is decided by the population at large due to negative coverage by the media. Also phrased as "trial by television." While the stories about the former CEO are all horrifying, right now they are just that: stories. We cannot allow trial by the media to become the new means by which to condemn our citizens, who still enjoy the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
See also: by, media, trial
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • trial by television
  • pearly
  • babysit with (someone or something)
  • conflict of interest
  • find (something) out the hard way
  • have no stomach for (something)
  • no stomach for, have
  • a/your second childhood
  • have no stomach for something
  • have the stomach for
References in periodicals archive
Then, there was the trial by the media that spun every information about this presidency one way or the other - the loyal liberals (progressives, if you may) going the CNN way while the fiercely conservative tilting towards Fox and the like.
He added that 'trial by the media' became a constant complaint during his tenure.
Kasuri said "trial by the media" has become a constant complaint during the tenure.
Asyraf, who arrived at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex to provide support for the Pekan Member of Parliament, said that all this while Najib had only been put on trial by the media and not a court of law.
I won't cooperate with trial by the media. I think it's unjust and inappropriate."
Australia did not shy away from criticizing Sri Lanka's human rights record, but they did so within the confines of bi lateral engagement and not through a trial by the media.
"I now simply ask that the courtesy which has been extended to me and my family during this trial by the media, will be maintained and the privacy of my family which has been intruded on over the past six years will now cease."
Pardew has faced trial by the media during the aftermath of the incident at the KC Stadium.
"We reiterate that we abide by the law but doctors should not be put on trial by the media," said Abu Sharaf, in reference to several reports by local television station MTV.
After that public trial by the media, even if the courts fail to find evidence against the individual, the individual remains "tainted" in the public eye and can never again fully regain his/her standing.
But before the walkout, he told H EADLINES T ODAY he does not want another trial by the media. " I will clarify everything before the inquiry committee," he said.
Berlusconi's senate whip Maurizio Gasparri has defended the bill by saying it ends "trial by the media."
Stereoscopic 3D is set to migrate from the cinemas to homes with the start of a one-year 3D TV trial by the Media Development Authority of Singapore.
He also advised that correspondents should avoid trial by the Media as every accused is presumed to be innocent unless proved guilty by the court and said the trial by media may affect the perception of judiciary about the accused.
Surely, by that criteria the actions of 9/11 and 7/7 were also acts of minorities, yet the entire Muslim population has been placed on trial by the media. Some will argue that dispensing severe punishments for serious crimes is simply going down to the level of criminals, these people rarely speak as victims but idealistic individuals living in a bubble.